Tom Kha Gai

Authentic Tom Kha Gai (Thai coconut chicken soup)

• 2 cups chicken stock, unsalted, preferably homemade
• 1 ½ cups coconut milk, (see note 1)
• ½ teaspoon table salt
• 1 lb chicken thigh, boneless skinless, cut 1-inch pieces (see note 2)
• 1 stalk lemongrass, bottom half only, smashed and cut in 2-inch pieces
• 12 thin slices galangal, (see note 3)
• 5 makrut lime leaves, twisted to bruise and torn into big chunks
• 1-3 Thai chilies, to taste, smashed until broken or cut into large pieces
• 2 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped palm sugar,  or granulated sugar
• 5.5 oz oyster mushrooms, torn into bite-size pieces
• 2 ½ tablespoon lime juice
• chopped green onion and/or cilantro, for garnish
• Jasmine rice, for serving, optional

Notes

1. For a lighter soup, you can add reduce the coconut milk by about ½ cup and increase the chicken stock by the same amount.

2. If using chicken breast, cut into ½-inch thick slices and marinate in 1 tablespoon of fish sauce while you're prepping. Skip step #1 as chicken breast does not need to be simmered and is best cooked only briefly, and omit the salt. Reduce the chicken stock to 1 ½ cups and add it at step #2. Add the chicken breast to the soup at the end along with the mushrooms in step #3 and cook for a couple of minutes just until the chicken is done. Be sure to taste and adjust the salt at the end!

3. The lemongrass, galangal and makrut lime leaves are meant for infusion only and not meant to be eaten. Please inform your guests or remove them before serving.

Instructions

• Bring chicken stock to a boil, then add the salt and chicken thigh. Simmer gently for 15 minutes or until chicken is fork tender.

  2 cups chicken stock,½ teaspoon table salt,1 lb chicken thigh

• Add the coconut milk, lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, chilies, mushrooms, about half of the fish sauce, and sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes to infuse.

  1 ½ cups coconut milk,1 stalk lemongrass,12 thin slices galangal,5 makrut lime leaves,1-3 Thai chilies,2 tablespoon fish sauce,1 teaspoon finely chopped palm sugar,5.5 oz oyster mushrooms

• Taste and add more fish sauce as needed. Turn off the heat and add about 2 tablespoon of the lime juice, then taste and add more as needed. Top with green onions and/or cilantro.

  2 ½ tablespoon lime juice,chopped green onion and/or cilantro

• Serve with jasmine rice as part of a larger Thai meal, or enjoy on its own. See this video about how to eat a Thai meal for how Thai people serve soup!

  (Note: the herbs are for infusion only and are not meant to be eaten. Either remove them before serving or inform your guests.)

  Jasmine rice